The Assembly of Healthcare Professional Associations (AHPA) and the Joint Health Sectors Union (JOHESU) have announced a seven-day national warning strike that will begin at midnight on October 25.

At the conclusion of the unions’ enlarged National Executive Council (NEC) hybrid meeting in Abuja on Friday, Kabiru Minjibir, the National President of JOHESU, revealed this to reporters.

Minjibir expressed dissatisfaction that despite repeated guarantees during meetings with the appropriate Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), the unions had not received a satisfactory response from the federal government on some of the crucial problems mentioned thus far.

“JOHESU has no choice but to go on an indefinite strike action if the federal government does not comply with our demands at the conclusion of the seven-day warning strike.

“Nigerians should take note that this action would have been prevented if the federal government had used all of the options available in the pertinent provisions of the Trade Disputes Act Cap. T8 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to apprehend this dispute of rights within the 15-day notice of strike or ultimatum.”

“JOHESU is always dedicated to using the power of social discourse to address issues that impact members’ well-being and working circumstances.

“Therefore, we will maintain all of our lines of communication open throughout this time,” he

As you may remember, on October 10, 2024, the unions gave the federal government a 15-day ultimatum to resolve the problems or face the complete shutdown of its operations in hospitals across the country.

The workers demanded that the CONHESS adjustment be implemented immediately, that the 25% CONHESS Review arrears from June to December 2023 be paid immediately, and that the Regulatory Agencies’ employees get nine (9) months’ compensation from January to September 2024.

Additional requests include the quick rebuilding of the Boards/Governing Councils of Federal Health Institutions and the urgent return of financing to the Environmental Health Regulatory Council.

Additionally, they are requesting that the Federal Executive Council, via the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, start the process of raising the retirement age for healthcare professionals.

The quick payment of COVID-19 incentive hazard payments to excluded health professionals and the tax waiver on healthcare workers’ allowances were among the other topics under dispute.

Additionally, they are calling for an urgent halt to the National Health Facility Regulatory Agency’s (NHFRA) planned creation and operations.

Additionally, JOHESU is calling for the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to remove the illegal Drug Revolving Fund (DRF) Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and fully implement authorised entry point, call duty, and other benefits for Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) holders.

Members of the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) and the Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) are affiliated unions of JOHESU.